Only A Kiss
by Zanra
Summary: Harry is in trouble, and Hermione is there to help. What they come to find is that rash decisions come with rash consequenses. Story is better than summary, I swear! Don't hit me!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Disturbing the Peace

It was a bright and cool autumn day, and 17-year-old Hermione Granger was reading quietly by her new favorite spot in the open air. It was a cluster of rose bushes just near the edge of the lake outside Hogwarts castle, and she loved it purely because it gave her privacy and quiet time to concentrate.

One can imagine, therefore, how annoyed Hermione was to have her peaceful silence interrupted by a loud crashing, stumbling sound coming from the front doors that opened into the Entrance Hall.

Irritably looking up to see who or what had made the noise and disturbed her precious peace time, Hermione was surprised to see her best friend Harry Potter making a mad dash from the front doors onto the grounds, and he was obviously distressed.

Assuming Harry was in trouble or looking for her, Hermione got to her feet quickly and waved him over, not shouting his name for fear of attracting more unnecessary attention that his loud entrance had not already caused.

Seeing Hermione waving frantically at him, Harry sprinted over to her, and Hermione yanked him by his robes to her spot behind the bushes out of view of everyone.

Gazing at Harry from head to toe, Hermione observed that his face had a few more new cuts and scratches on it, and the effort from running hard began to show itself in the pink flush rising in his cheeks. She concluded that the scratches on his face were most likely from his most recent Occlumency lessons and paid them no mind. Concerning the reason why Harry would choose to tear through the castle, however, Hermione was perplexed.

"What happened, Harry? Who are you running from?" she asked him.

Before Harry got a chance to open his mouth, Hermione's second question was answered quickly in the form of a livid-faced Draco Malfoy, who had just appeared at the open doors to the Entrance Hall that Harry had run from.

How Hermione could tell that it was Malfoy she did not know, because at the moment, he bore a striking resemblance to a mutated grindylow. He was covered from head to toe in a slimy green liquid Hermione recognized as stinksap. Because this wasn't a normal fashion for Malfoy, Hermione immediately suspected foul play. Oh, she was going to _love_ hearing this one.

Harry followed Hermione's gaze towards Malfoy, and his face immediately became alight with worry, and he crouched even further behind the bushes. Seeing Harry's now terrified expression, Hermione's emotions quickly changed from anger to confusion. _Why is Harry afraid of Malfoy all of a sudden?_ Hermione thought to herself.

Given the two rivals' history together and Hermione's ability to read Harry like a book, she knew intimidation and fear would normally be the last things on his mind when it came to Malfoy. Something was definitely up.

Crabbe and Goyle, along with a few more of Malfoy's troll-like henchmen, showed up moments later beside him. Malfoy, his face set with the expression of one intent to kill, commanded them to search the grounds nearby for his assailant. Doing as they were told, the boys split up and began looking around.

"Harry, what happened? What did you do to him?" Hermione hissed, automatically assuming Harry was to blame for Malfoy's current state.

Unfortunately, Hermione's semi-silent reproach was enough to engage the curiosity of the Slytherin search-and-destroy party. The boys pointed out the group of bushes Harry and Hermione were hidden behind, and started towards it.

Harry turned his head back towards Hermione with a panicked, horrified expression on his face.

"I swear, Hermione, this time it wasn't me! I'll explain it all to you later, but for now can you please hide me or do something quick!" Harry desperately pleaded with her. Malfoy and his gang were now just about to circle the bush to the part where both Hermione and Harry could be easily seen.

Acting on the first irrational thought that crossed her mind, Hermione gave Harry a hard shove in the shoulders to where he was no longer in a kneeling position, but lying flat on his back. She then straddled him and sat on his knees.

Looking utterly confused, Harry looked up at her. "Hermione, what are you…" but Harry never got the chance to finish his sentence because at that moment, Hermione bent down and caught his lips in a deep kiss.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Shedding Some Light

The scene looked entirely believable to the Slytherin boys. Every one of them, including Malfoy, gave looks of disgust and turned around from the sight of who they thought was just an ordinary couple having a private snogging session.

Malfoy, however, felt he had to do a double take. To him, something was too familiar about the girl's bushy brown curls and the boy's unruly jet-black hair.

Disbelieving, Malfoy gasped, "Potter? Granger?"

At this, Hermione finally broke the kiss to look up. "What do you want, Malfoy? Can't you see we're busy?" She assumed a sitting position on Harry's knees and placed her hands on her hips, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Still obviously shocked, Malfoy croaked, "I…er…I saw…umm…Potter….stinksap…" Hermione looked to be between amusement and annoyance.

"What's the matter Malfoy, ferret got your tongue?" Hermione smirked. If nothing else, this was enough to snap Malfoy out of his stupor.

"I see me and Potter have something in common then, only having a _Mudblood_ caught onto your tongue is a far more sickening thought, I'm afraid." The usual guffaws and snickers erupted from the Slytherin boys. "First the little Weasley brat, and now the Mudblood? Merlin, Potter, I didn't know you were _that_ desperate."

Up until that instant, Harry was still laying on his back with glazed-over eyes, completely oblivious to the outside world. Upon hearing Malfoy's insult, however, Harry's head immediately snapped towards Malfoy.

He jumped to his feet a split-second after Hermione got off him and did the same. Both of them whipped out their wands and aimed them at Malfoy and the Slytherins. Harry had his positioned like a sword at Malfoy's neck, and he growled, "Take it back, Malfoy. Take it back _now_."

Hermione lowered her wand and set her own anger aside when she heard Harry's tone. Every inch was completely lined with anger and hatred. From her close proximity to him, she could almost feel the negative energy Harry was giving off, and it was enough to make her stomach start to crawl. Hermione decided she had to calm Harry down quick, not because she cared for Malfoy's well being; she just didn't want Harry to do something stupid while she was standing right there.

Hermione put her hand on Harry's left shoulder, she softly pleaded with him, "Harry please, just let it go." When he showed no signs of relenting, she added even more softly in his ear, "They'll all get what they deserve after this is over, I promise you."

With Hermione's pleading and the strange calming effect her touch had on him, Harry slowly lowered his wand. Harry shot a look of pure venom at Malfoy and his gang and hissed, with malice traced in every syllable, "I'm letting you go now with my promise that if I ever hear you say that about Hermione again, I will make you wish I had killed you right here." And with one last final glare, Malfoy and his gang scampered off back into the castle.

They stood in silence while Hermione waited for the rapid pulsing in her heart to slow before she considered saying a word.

Suddenly aware that her hand was still on Harry's shoulder, Hermione quickly removed it and backed away a step, wiping her sweaty palms on her wool skirt. After this, she made no sudden movements and allowed the memories of the last few minutes to slide through her mind. There was so much confusion as to her actions, that Hermione thought her head might explode. _More for that later,_ she thought, _I have to see how Harry is first_.

Once he had finally calmed down enough, Harry turned around to face Hermione.

"I'm ok now. I just can't believe I let that idiot Malfoy get to me!" he looked perplexed for a minute.

"Well, Malfoy's a flaming git, we all know that!" Hermione uttered a small chuckle in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, I know, but it was like I couldn't control myself for a bit there. I thought I was going to go mad!" Harry looked frustrated, and Hermione never liked seeing him that way. She took his arm in one hand and rubbed it with the other.

"It's a good thing that didn't happen then. The world doesn't need more people with tempers like Ron when dinner's delayed." Finally, a chuckle from Harry.

"That would be a frightening image. Total anarchy if I've ever heard of it." Harry mused. They both shared a small laugh at their best friend's expense.

Then something happened that never had before: an awkward silence passed between them, and Hermione knew Harry sensed it too. There was never supposed to be an awkward _anything_ between the two of them, and this started to worry Hermione. _Stupid me!_ she thought. _You just _had _to kiss him didn't you? Couldn't think of _anything else_ in the world that would have helped!_

"Oh, I've just remembered, I have to meet Seamus in the Great Hall in a bit." Harry said suddenly. "I better go." Hermione mumbled an okay.

Seeing her downcast expression, Harry immediately felt guilty for evading the situation so obviously. He took one of her hands in his and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. Hermione's eyes shot up, and the meaning of the look in his deep green eyes was intense and clear: _we'll talk later_.

Harry started to walk away slowly, and as his head disappeared behind the bushes, Hermione only whispered after him, "But when will that be, Harry?"


End file.
